Digital & In-Person PSAT Practice Tests
- Proprietary stage-adaptive tests that mirror the real digital PSAT
- Same-day score reports with percentiles, pacing, and trap answers
- PSAT/NMSQT® practice tests timed to the National Merit window
- Online on demand or in-person proctored in 8 metro areas
- Extended time accommodations available on every test
“Our director personalized programs for 3 very different children and kept our budget in mind. They both scored high enough on the PSAT to become National Merit Scholars, then got very high SAT scores even with the difficult new digital SAT.” –Parent of three Compass students at Lake Forest Academy
Compass Demo Testing Center for Digital PSAT Practice Tests
Students and parents can take a free 13-step guided tour of the same digital environment used for every Compass online PSAT practice test. The testing center tour walks through the timer, highlighter, notes, answer eliminator, answer masking, question flagging, and navigation tools with a visual example of each, then lets students try sample questions hands-on. No account or sign-up required.
Device & Browser: The demo testing center requires Safari, Chrome, or Firefox on a laptop, desktop, or tablet. Mobile phones are not supported.
TOUR THE TESTING CENTER
Sample score reports and testing center demos are not available on mobile devices
Choose Your PSAT Practice Test Format
NOTE: This is for new students only. If you are working with Compass as a 1-on-1 tutoring client, please log in to your account to request a practice test through the “Schedule a Practice Test” button on the Tests tab. If you are enrolled in a group class or have ever taken a practice test with us, please call (800) 685-6986 or email tests@compassprep.com to set up a new practice test. Students who have tested with Compass previously may see a repeat test when using this registration.
Online
Online On-Demand
Digital
Stage Adaptive
System Proctor
Any Day, Any Time
$50
per test
- Full-length, fully timed digital PSAT practice test
- Take at home, on your schedule
- Same-day interactive score report
- Percentile rankings and student analytics
- 120 days of question and answer review
- Extended time accommodations available
In-Person
Live In-Person
Digital
Stage Adaptive
Human Proctor
Test-Day Conditions
Set Dates
$50
per test
- Full-length, fully timed digital PSAT practice test
- Proctored in person with official test-day conditions
- Same-day interactive score report
- Percentile rankings and student analytics
- 120 days of question and answer review
- Extended time accommodations available
New York in-person practice tests are $100.
10% of practice test proceeds are donated to organizations advancing educational access.
Practice Tests Terms & Conditions
All practice test purchases are non-refundable. Compass reserves the right to limit or decline practice test requests. Students who are not enrolled in a tutoring program or small group instructional class are limited to one practice exam per test type. Students enrolled in a workshop are limited to one additional practice test for that test type. On-demand test purchases can take up to 24 hours to process. Please reach out to our team at tests@compassprep.com if you have any questions or need clarification.
As with official testing by the College Board or ACT, capacity constraints may limit our in-person ability to confirm students at their first-choice testing sessions. We may be able to accommodate impacted students by offering a different testing location (including digital options via our Online Testing Center or with an online proctor) or a different time and date. Compass reserves the right to enact, enforce, and alter test scheduling and reservation policies.
Registered users can Login for the current list of testing options. Please keep in mind that any in-person session may already be full. A practice test request made via any page on our website (www.compassprep.com or my.compassprep.com) does not constitute an in-person reservation. You will be notified by the Compass office about our ability to confirm your place on the in-person testing roster. Students with a past due balance may be asked to arrange payment before testing sessions are booked.
Students receiving testing accommodations from an official testing organization should discuss their needs with a Compass director. In-person extended time and other accommodations may only be available at certain testing locations and at certain times. Always reconfirm the specific accommodation when scheduling future in-person testing, as our proctoring staff cannot make last-minute changes.
Each test type has a limited number of available forms. Compass directors can advise you about the recommended scheduling to maximize the benefit from these forms.
Practice tests are best thought of as periodic performances that allow the student and a Compass instructor or tutor to assess progress. As such, we discourage practice testing that is not tied to Compass insight and instruction. Serial testing may prove detrimental by reinforcing bad habits and taking time away from thoughtful practice of skills and strategies. If instruction is being provided by a non-Compass tutor or company, we ask that you contact that tutor or tutoring company about their practice test offerings.
What is the Digital Adaptive PSAT?
The digital PSAT contains 98 questions across 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing time and is scored on a 320 to 1520 scale. The PSAT is only offered on computers* and is digital adaptive using a Multistage Adaptive Testing (MST) design. There are two sections: Reading & Writing and Math. Each section has two stages in the following order: Reading & Writing Stage 1, Reading & Writing Stage 2, Break, Math Stage 1, Math Stage 2.
The first stage of each section is not adaptive (item difficulty will not “adapt” to a student’s performance) and it contains a full range of question difficulty. At the end of the first stage, the test will choose which of the two remaining sets of questions, or modules, is an appropriate level of difficulty: one module will be on average easier and the other module will be on average more difficult.
The PSAT is not item-adaptive, where each question’s difficulty depends on the student’s performance on the previous question. It is stage-adaptive, where the entire second module’s question mix depends on the student’s performance on the first module. This lowers the stakes on any one question and also preserves the ability to go backward and forward within a stage. Already taken a digital PSAT with Compass? Use this resource to interpret your score report and find digital PSAT guidance on what to do next.
*Some accommodations allow for a longer paper-based version of the test.
PSAT/NMSQT Practice Tests and National Merit
The PSAT’s full name for 11th graders is the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). Students may take the PSAT in 9th or 10th grade, but it is the official PSAT/NMSQT taken in October of junior year that counts for National Merit. Each year’s Semifinalist selection index cutoffs vary by state. A full-length PSAT practice test the summer or early fall before the October administration shows students exactly where they stand while there is still time to improve their scores. Compass’ interactive score report identifies the specific skills most needing review to increase scores. For qualifying score details, see our state-by-state National Merit Semifinalist cutoffs and our PSAT and National Merit FAQ.
Sections and Length
| Section | Questions | Standard Time | +50% Extended Time | +100% Extended Time |
| Reading & Writing: Stage 1 | 27 | 32 min | 48 min | 64 min |
| Reading & Writing: Stage 2 | 27 | 32 min | 48 min | 64 min |
| Break | — | 10 min | 10 min* | 10 min* |
| Math: Stage 1 | 22 | 35 min | 53 min | 70 min |
| Math: Stage 2 | 22 | 35 min | 53 min | 70 min |
You may receive an additional 20-minute section of any subject at the end of your standard time digital test.
*Students with extended time may take two additional 5-minute breaks: between Reading/Writing Stages 1 & 2 and Math Stages 1 & 2.
How long should I set aside to test?
- Standard Time: 2 hours and 45 minutes
- +50% Extended Time Accommodations: 3 hours and 45 minutes
- +100% Extended Time Accommodations: 5 hours
How Do Compass Interactive Score Reports Work?
PSAT Practice Test Score Reports Go Deeper Than a Number
A composite score tells you where a student stands. It does not tell you why, or what to do next.
Every Compass PSAT practice test comes with an interactive score report: national percentile rankings, timing and flow, the trap answers a student fell for and the ones they avoided, and a question-by-question comparison against students with similar scores. The skill assessment provides a deep dive into opportunities for score gains and the report’s PSAT to SAT/ACT comparison tool helps show which test favors your student. No other test prep company provides personalized comprehensive diagnostics at this level with a practice test.
- Interactive Score Reports: Explore every question, answer, and metric.
- Time-Per-Question: See exactly where timing broke down.
- Attractor Answers: Analyze the trap choices you fell for and those avoided.
- Percentile Ranking Tool: Measure how score gains change competitive standing.
- Similar Scorers Chart: Compare how students at your level handled each question.
- SAT/ACT Comparison Tool: Gain data-driven guidance on which test to pursue.
- Question Flagging: Revisit questions you got right but never felt sure about.
- Skill-Level Breakdown: Drill into performance by skill area and question type.
- (NEW) Pacing Analysis: Assess opportunities to improve flow and pacing.
After the Test: From Baseline Score to Test Prep Plan
A practice test is a starting point, not a verdict. Treat the first one as a diagnostic PSAT practice test: a baseline that reveals opportunity for targeted score gains. After a new PSAT practice test, families can schedule a complimentary call with a Compass director to walk through the score report and decide whether a PSAT class or one-on-one PSAT tutoring fits the student’s timeline and goals. Questions and answers stay available for review for 120 days, so it can be compared to follow up tests to gauge progress and track improvement.
“She was able to take proctored practice tests in a group setting with her extended time – an option other companies could not provide. Her test scores improved approximately 200 points from her junior year PSAT to her spring SAT.” –T. K., Mother of an 11th Grader at Viewpoint School
The Practice Test Partner for Hundreds of Leading High Schools
Compass administers PSAT, ACT, and SAT practice tests in partnership with hundreds of high schools nationwide, giving students an official baseline in real testing conditions before they ever register for the actual exam. Counselors work with us because we deliver the tests, the score reports, and the follow-through without pressure tactics or sales calls to families.
“We first learned about Compass through Berkeley Carroll when they administered the practice tests. We were impressed by the score reports and their availability to discuss the results and formulate a plan for test prep. Both of our kids improved their scores from the baseline practice tests.” – Parent of two Berkeley Carroll students
PSAT Practice Test FAQs
PSAT Content and Testing Format
What content do Compass PSAT practice tests use?
Compass PSAT practice tests are built from proprietary content developed by our own team and calibrated to the official digital adaptive PSAT. College Board publishes only a limited number of official practice tests, so proprietary full-lengths let students test as often as their plan requires without repeating or reusing completed tests.
What is the digital adaptive PSAT format?
The digital PSAT contains 98 questions across 2 hours and 14 minutes of testing time and is scored on a 320 to 1520 scale. It has two sections, Reading & Writing and Math, each with two stages. The test adapts once per section: performance on the first stage determines whether the second stage is, on average, easier or harder. Within a stage, students can move backward and forward freely.
Are Compass PSAT practice tests adaptive like the real PSAT?
Yes. Compass online PSAT practice tests are stage-adaptive, mirroring the Multistage Adaptive Testing design of the official exam. Static or paper practice PSATs cannot reproduce how the real test selects a student’s second-stage difficulty, which affects scoring, pacing, and test-day feel.
PSAT Practice Test Scoring and Length
How is my PSAT practice test scored?
Online and in-person practice tests are scored the same day. Every student receives an interactive score report for each test with section scores, national percentile rankings, time spent per question, flagged questions, skill assessments, and the specific trap answers they fell for. You can review your questions and answers for 120 days after the test.
How long does a PSAT practice test take?
Plan for 2 hours and 45 minutes with standard time, 3 hours and 45 minutes with +50% extended time, or 5 hours with +100% extended time. You may also receive an additional 20-minute experimental section at the end of your test.
Are extended time accommodations available for PSAT practice tests?
Yes, 50 percent and 100 percent extended time accommodations are available for every practice test, online and in person. Students testing with extended time may take two additional 5-minute breaks, between the two Reading & Writing stages and between the two Math stages, matching official conditions.
PSAT Frequency and Post Testing Opportunities
How many PSAT practice tests should my student take?
Most Compass tutoring or class students take 3 to 4 practice tests: a baseline test, one or two mid-program progress tests, and a final test shortly before the official exam. Students not enrolled in a Compass tutoring program or small group course are limited to one practice test per test prep type to discourage independent serial testing which commonly reinforces bad habits instead of fixing core skill gaps when used in isolation without proper test prep instruction and professional guidance.
What happens after the practice test?
Families can schedule a complimentary call with a Compass director to review the score report and decide next steps, whether that is more practice, a class, or tutoring. There is no obligation as accurate assessment of baseline or progress is the point of the test.
Can a PSAT practice test help my student prepare for National Merit?
Yes. The official PSAT/NMSQT taken in October of junior year determines National Merit eligibility, and Selection Index cutoffs vary by state. A full-length Compass PSAT practice test before that administration establishes where a student stands, and the interactive score report shows which skills are worth the most points in the time remaining.
More questions? Contact us anytime at Tests@CompassPrep.com
About Compass PSAT Practice Testing
Compass Education Group is a test preparation company and creator of proprietary digital adaptive PSAT content, curriculum, and test prep. Compass online PSAT practice tests are stage-adaptive, mirroring the Multistage Adaptive Testing engine used by the real digital PSAT, so scores and pacing behave the way they will on test day. Compass administers full-length online PSAT practice tests (full mock PSATs) on-demand nationwide or proctored in person in eight metro areas: the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Chicago, Manhattan, Boston, Houston, Seattle, and Washington D.C. Practice tests cost $50, or $100 for in-person testing in New York, and need-based fee waivers are available. Every test includes a same-day interactive score report with national percentile rankings, time-per-question pacing analysis, attractor answer detection, skill-level breakdowns, a similar scorers comparison, and a PSAT to SAT/ACT comparison tool that shows which test favors the student. Students can review their questions and answers for 120 days after each test. Extended time accommodations of +50% and +100% are available on every practice test. Students preparing for the digital PSAT can take a free guided tour of the Compass Online Testing Center, which mirrors the official digital testing environment. Compass practice tests are also administered in partnership with hundreds of high schools nationwide. After any test, families can schedule a complimentary score review call with a Compass director. 10% of practice test proceeds are donated to organizations advancing educational access.
PSAT Resources
National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs Class of 2027 and Beyond
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National Merit Semifinalist Cutoffs Class of 2027 and Beyond
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What’s a Good PSAT Score?
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What’s a Good PSAT Score?
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Using digital PSAT Scores to Compare SAT and ACT
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Using digital PSAT Scores to Compare SAT and ACT
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